President Donald Trump responded publicly after Elon Musk criticized his administration’s spending bill. Musk, who recently resigned from his post as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, openly called the bill “big” but questioned if it could be “beautiful” at the same time.
Elon Musk made his comments in a CBS preview clip, saying he was disappointed with the bill because it increases the budget deficit instead of reducing it. The bill includes a boost in defense spending and large tax breaks, including Trump’s plan for a missile-protecting “Golden Dome” over the U.S.
When reporters asked Trump about Musk’s criticism, he said the bill needed broad support to pass the House and avoid a large tax increase on Americans. Trump stressed that the bill includes “the largest tax cut in the history” of the country.
Interestingly, Trump admitted he was not fully happy with some parts of the bill but praised other parts, calling it “big” and “beautiful” because of the tax cuts.
This comes just a day after Musk resigned from his government role, fueling rumors of a rift between the billionaire and the president. Trump’s tone contrasts with his earlier, enthusiastic announcement on social media, where he called the bill “the one, big, beautiful bill” and one of the most important in U.S. history.
